Hunter and Mad Scien Chapter 64

"Is that alright?"

"What does it matter? More importantly, it seems Duke Galliston has arrived."

Even though he didn't point in any direction, Esperanza's gaze also turned toward where people were gathering.

"I can't see him."

"Shall I lift you up?"

"Just try it. Can you see him?"

"I can see him."

Only one of them needed to see him anyway. Her interest faded surprisingly quickly.

"More importantly, do you know what I saw earlier? It seems a new trend has erged in the short ti we were away, and it's..."

Esperanza's lips barely moved as she talked about the hat shop. When Cider looked down at her lips with apparent fascination, she replied awkwardly.

"What if soone reads lips?"

"That seems like excessive worry."

"There are people watching us right now."

"That's..."

It was true. But those gazes weren't directed at them. While it was noticeable that only the two of them were whispering among the crowds of people gathered together, it wasn't enough to draw this much attention.

Those gazes were directed at soone else. Only then did Esperanza, sensing a presence that had approached nearby, turn around.

The slightly raised chin and downcast eyes were arrogant as if born to look down from above. Black hair, formal wear, gloves, shoes. The white face stood out against the attire wrapped in black and glossy materials.

"Avondale."

At the sound of the low voice calling his na, Cider slightly raised the corners of his mouth. He grasped the hand the man extended.

"Your Highness Duke Galliston."

Duke Galliston, Edmund, shook hands a few tis with a stiff face and released it without lingering. Next, he kissed Esperanza's gloved hand. Esperanza nimbly curtsied.

"It's been a while. I thought you had no interest in socializing. Did you attend to escort the lady?"

"Since it's a charity event, the more attendees the better. I believe Your Highness feels the sa way."

"You don't discriminate when it cos to charity events."

Those words seed to rebuke them for ignoring other events but attending only the famous Miss Talbot's charity ball. Or perhaps they ant nothing at all.

Why had Duke Galliston approached them first? Did he no longer intend to hide his curiosity? Was his purpose in monitoring them goodwill or hostility? He had sent an assassin, but had never directly caused harm. But then that brought them back to the original question. Why?

"Avondale. Won't you introduce the lady to ?"

Cider reluctantly, slowly opened his mouth.

"This is my ward, Miss Esperanza Hunter."

"Pleased to et you."

Esperanza avoided the persistent gaze and tightened her grip on Cider's arm. Since she couldn't know what he wanted or how much he knew, she had no choice but to be led along.

"Are you from Salamanca?"

"My mother was from Salamanca, and I grew up in Paolun."

"That must have been difficult."

The aningless background check passed, and the Duke obtained information that Esperanza had lost both parents and had co to Nine Holder to entrust herself to her guardian, Count Avondale. It was fortunate that she still rembered that setting well. Cold sweat broke out. Cider, glancing down at Esperanza whose expression was gradually darkening, smiled and cut off the conversation.

"It was pleasant to see Your Highness after such a long ti. Well then."

Just as they were about to leave quickly, Duke Galliston extended his hand.

"Miss Hunter."

"...Yes, Your Highness."

Ominous.

"Is your dance card empty?"

Since they had only recently entered, Esperanza's dance card contained only Cider's na written for the last song.

When she reluctantly offered her dance card, the Duke's hand wrapped in leather gloves wrote his na for the very next song.

Edmund Saturn.

A na with all the long titles, appellations, and middle nas proving royal bloodline removed, leaving only the surna as trace of royalty. Strangely, Esperanza felt as if she had received a signal for a direct confrontation from that na.

The song happened to end. Cider watched with hardened eyes as Esperanza's shoulder was enveloped by the black glove.

Soon the two people standing on the dance floor both had stiff faces, and no emotional exchange could be felt between them, but...

No, it was just dancing after all. Dancing was originally an act ant for socializing, so it was natural to dance with various people. Insisting on only one partner would be more rude. Dancing wasn't kissing.

The alcohol on the table was strong. He had left Paoran behind, but this was pointless. Without hesitation, he turned around and headed to a spot where the dance floor wasn't visible.

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The fourth song, sandwiched between group dances before and after, was lively. Lively usually ant fast, and when the song was fast, the dance beca fast too. However, no matter how quickly she moved her body following this taciturn lead, she couldn't feel anything like liveliness.

Esperanza's body was moving almost instinctively. Her mind was too busy wondering why she had ended up in this situation to pay attention to the dancing.

In the midst of frantic movent, strength entered Edmund's indifferent touch that was gripping Esperanza's shoulder. Esperanza's body, which had been extending her foot, swayed. Just as she was about to collide with the couple spinning to the beat beside them, Esperanza barely managed to steady herself.

"My apologies."

Esperanza, who had almost stepped on the long dress hem, was about to glare at Edmund but hastily looked away. His observing, narrowed gaze lingered on the tip of Esperanza's dance shoe as she quickly found her rhythm again.

'He pushed

on purpose just now!'

If Esperanza hadn't been a hunter skilled at maintaining her body's center, she would have fallen helplessly. The ladies and gentlen on the dance floor would have fallen like dominoes, the music would have stopped, and the party would have beco chaos.

However, even while thinking about that chaos, the lively music continued, and since Edmund wasn't a leader who made his partner comfortable, Esperanza had to be on guard in case the Duke tried to push her down again.

"Miss Hunter."

When the dizzily spinning part ended and they changed to a face-to-face position, Edmund spoke.

"What do you think about charity?"

It was an out-of-the-blue question. And right after pushing soone. What was his intention? He wasn't a man who would act this way without intention. At least Duke Galliston thirteen years later wasn't.

No, Esperanza had first seen him eight years from now in ga ti. Eight years was a long ti that could completely change a person, but nothing like that had happened to Edmund. Probably.

She had missed the timing to answer while distracted. Fortunately there was a turn. Esperanza answered naturally as if she had been briefly contemplating.

"Wouldn't it be a good thing? Since it does work that the state cannot do."

As if it wasn't the answer he wanted, Edmund was silent for a mont. And only after they had gone around the floor once did he speak again.

"Miss Talbot held a ball to raise funds to sponsor orphanages."

It was this very ball. They sold tickets at high prices and received donations from celebrities participating in the party. Besides this, they also raised funds by auctioning donated items or selling small household goods.

Charity work was the only business permitted to ladies without titles. As such, it was being conducted in various directions across various fields, but among them, Miss Talbot's was the largest and most successful.

The lady made full use of her fa and wealth for her business. She was soone who would have succeeded greatly even if she had done other business instead of charity.

"Miss Talbot changed the hall doors and purchased five new automatons for this ball. If she had donated that money instead of holding the ball, she might have been able to save more people, but the lady went to that trouble and obtained sothing more valuable than donations."

"What was that?"

"Reputation."

Their clothing brushed against each other. The conversation was interrupted as the movents changed. When their bodies, which had been apart while only holding arms, faced each other again, Edmund asked.

"Eighty percent of charity workers are fraudsters, and the rest buy reputation through charity. Miss Hunter, is charity really a good thing? Should charity be done nonetheless?"

Esperanza frowned.

Miss Talbot seed to have genuine affection for her business. Many of the people gathered here would sincerely pray for poor children today. There would be many who would give up one of their accessories so those children could eat slightly better bread tomorrow.

However, among these compassionate people, none would say they should give up their privileges and inherited wealth so those poor people could escape poverty. Just that level of sense of justice.

Noblesse oblige. The duty of nobles. The minimum gesture of sincerity to maintain the privileged class of nobility, and a refined evasion of responsibility.

'I'm no different.'

Esperanza knew that she too was taking only the fantasies of such a society and parasitically living off its benefits. Everyone in this place was no different. Even Edmund Saturn, who asked 'Is charity a good thing?'

Still, that hypocrisy sohow saved soone.

"...It would be better than not doing it."

After a long silence, a reluctant answer fell. The conversation that circled around without reaching the point was briefly cut off.

"Miss Hunter. If you had an opportunity for 'charity,' would you do it?"

The ten pairs of n and won who had been spinning stopped and bowed to each other. Esperanza also stood before Edmund and curtsied. While slowly straightening her bent knees and spine, she wondered in her mind what Duke Galliston could possibly want. But still nothing was clear.

"If it's sothing I can do..."

She let her words trail off. The music was ending. Just as she was about to let go of his hand and step away, Esperanza raised her trailing words and asked.

"Is the information broker of Alter District helping Your Highness's charity work?"

For the first ti, change was visible on Edmund's expressionless face. As if to hide his surprised look, he lowered his head.

The hand wrapped in black gloves grasped Esperanza's wrist, kissed the back of her hand, then slowly fell away. Like a screen playing in slow motion, yet flawlessly elegant.

"That man's na is Luke Havenly. When the opportunity arises, let's talk about him as well. Then."